Local Goa News

Friday, June 24, 2016

Goa govt regularizes unauthorized constructions

Panaji: Any unauthorized construction on a private property done before February 28, 2014, will now be regularized as the state government on Friday, approved the Goa regularization of unauthorized construction ordinance through circulation.
The term circulation here means that since there was no formal cabinet meeting, the file on the ordinance was circulated to the cabinet ministers for their approval.
The state government will send the ordinance to governor Mridula Sinha for her assent.
All residential, commercial, residential-cum-commercial and institutional buildings will be covered under the ordinance's ambit. Structures include any construction in one's own property.
The ordinance covers all those constructions which had been carried out by the co-owner, with written consent of all other co-owner/s thereto in the property jointly held by such co-owners. Unauthorized construction of a dwelling house by a person declared/registered as mundkar, or a farm house constructed by a tenant or owner in an agriculture field will also be covered under the ordinance.
The government has also included unauthorized constructions in an undivided property, which is jointly held by a unit of family or families, with the written consent of every such member of the family.
Unauthorized constructions on a property belonging to an institution or a person other than an individual, with necessary approval/consent of the body concerned also comes under the ambit of ordinance. IT also includes unauthorized construction in a property owned by a person not related to the applicant with his consent.
As per the ordinance, the authority officer shall not entertain any applications if the unauthorized construction falls within the limit of the protected forest area, declared as a wildlife sanctuary, areas covered under the coastal regulation zone, no development zone (NDZ), khazan land or any construction, which causes obstruction to any natural water channel, or any structure which is constructed by filling water bodies and any construction in or around scrapyards.
Where any unauthorized construction is a subject matter of dispute before any court, tribunal or any statutory authority, an order of regularization passed under this ordinance shall be subject to the decision of such court or tribunal or statutory order, stated in the ordinance.
"Any person aggrieved by an order passed by the authorized officer may prefer an appeal to the government within a period of 60 days from the date of passing of such order," the ordinance states.
The list of documents required to support the claim include water/electricity/other utility service consumption bills, Aadhaar card, election card, ration card, passport, telephone usage bills, house tax receipt, bank account passbook of any scheduled banks, postal account passbook, any tax receipt, land index form, residence/domicile or other certificate, notice issued by any government department/agency.